Latching means



March 10, 1925.

A. c. PREBLE LATCHING MEANS Filed May 8 1924 2 Sheets-She 2 F l LIHF U Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,529,085 PATENT oFF1cE.-

ANDREW c. PEBBLE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LATCHING MEANS.

Application filed May 8, 1924. Serial No. 711,830.

To aZZ whomz'zf may concern: v

Be it known that I, ANDREW C. PEBBLE, a citizen ofv the United States, residing at- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latching Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to a latching means for fire doors or emergency exists in which it is customary to specify latching or lockingmeans which will automatically yield to pressure from the inside of the door and which at the same time may be provided with suitable handle mechanism for unlatching the door from the outside.

The object of the present invention is to construct a latching mechanism of the character indicated which shall be simple and compact in structure and so located in respect to the free edge or Unhinged edge of the door as to permit of easy and convenient unlatching and swinging of the door either by direct thrust from the inside or by dlrect pull from the outside. I Since metallic fire doors are commonly quite heavy or ponderous, it is desirable to locate the latching mechanism close to the free edge of the door which permits the door to be readily opened; and it is also desirable to avoid the use of mechanism which require a lifting movement to effect unlatching in advance of a retractive opening movement. The present invention conforms to the above requirements.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the outside of a door showing in full lines the latching mechanism in latched relation, and in dotted lines the position ofthe parts when in unlatched relation;

Fig. 2 is an inside View of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on lines 33 of Fig. 1; and n Fig. 4: is a sectional elevation of a portion of the latching mechanism taken on line H ofFig. 3.

The fire door 10 is mounted on hinges 11 which are vsecured to a casing 12 which surrounds the door opening. form shown consists of a metallic plate which is preferably reinforced near its margin by a reinforcing strip of angle iron 13, the body of the door projecting beyond the strip and preferably overlapping the inner edge of the casing. The details of the door The door in the construction are, however, relatively unimportant since the latching mechanism is appliable to doors of various constructions.-

Near the free edge of the door on the outer face thereof is located the latch bar 14: which is pivotedat its inner end to a pin or rivet 15, and the free edge of the latch bar pro-i jects beyond the proximate edge of the door in position to engagewith a notched strike plate 16 which projects outwardlyfrom the door casing at the pro-per point An offset strap 17 is provided to act as a guide for the latch bar and permit sufficient lifting movement to free the latch bar from the strike plate. In the form shown, the latch bar, strike plate, and guide strap are ar-.

ranged in triplicate, so that the door will be latched near the top and bottom and also at p the center.

I11 order to provide'for uniform move ment of the three latch bars, a single con necting link 18 is employed which is hinged in each instance to a pin or stud 19extending outwardly from each of the latch bars.

The pin 19 of the center latch'bar has pivoted thereto an operating link 20 which extends obliquely downward and makes,

connection with a slide bar21', the link being provided with a slot .22 which engages with motion under circumstances to be presently explained. I I I The slide bar atxits outer end ls-provided with a guide slot 23which engages with a.

pin or roller 2%, and the inner end of the slide bar is slidably entered'between a pair of outstanding ears 25 formed on a plate 26 which is screwed to the face of the door in proper relation to the metal latch bar to afford the requisite amount of lift when the latch isoperated. The slidebar terminates at its rear end in an outstanding lug 27, the rear face of which is adaptedto be.

on the slide bar, thereby moving the slide f bar and imparting a thrust through the pin 23 againstthe obliquely disposed link 20 which will accordingly be swung into the dotted line position of Fig. l to effect a 85 a pin 23 to afford acertain amount of such a slide bar to which the opposite end of the thrust link is pivotally connected, a handle pivoted to the door and adapted when drawn back to impart a movement to the slide plate and a thrust to the link to lift the latch, said handle also serving to open the door by a continued pull in the same direction, a pressure member on the opposite side of the door, and connections between said pressure member and said slide bar for affording a sliding movement to the latter when a thrust is imparted to the pressure member, substantially as described.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of adoor casing, a door hinged to the casing, a latch bar pivoted to the door near its free edge, a strike bar secured to the casing in co-operative relation to the pivoted latch bar, a diagonally disposed thrust link pivoted to the latch bar, a slide bar to which the opposite end of the thrust link is pivotally connected, a handle pivoted to the bar and adapted when drawn back to impart a movement to the slide plate and a thrust to the link to lift the latch, said handle also serving to open the door by a continued pull in the same direction, a bell crank pressure member pivoted to the opposite side of the door, and a connection between the inner arm of said bell crank member and the slide plate for imparting movement to the slide plate by a thrust applied to the pressure member, substantially as described.

7. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a door casing, a door hinged to the casing, a plurality of latch bars pivoted near the free edge of the door, a bar connecting said latch member, a strike to swing open the door, substantially as described. i

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a door casing, a door hinged to the casing, a plurality of latch bars pivoted near the free edge of the door,

a. bar connecting said latch member, a strike plate for each of the latch bars, an obliquely disposed thrust link pivotally connected to one of the latch bars, a slide plate to which the opposite end of the thrust link is provided, a handle arm pivoted to the outer face of the door and provided with an angularly disposed finger adapted to engage with a portion of the slide bar and impart movement thereto When the handle is-drawn outwardly to effect a lifting of the latch bars, a continued pull on the handle thereafter serving to swing open the door, a. bell crank pressure member pivoted to the inside of the door, and a link connecting the short inner arm of said bell crank pressure menr her with the slide plate, a thrust on the pressure member serving to lift the latch I members and thereafter swing open the door, substantially as described.

7 ANDREW o. PEBB E.- 

